Peter Grudzien

Who is Peter Grudzien?

Peter Grudzien is an American country/psychedelic singer-songwriter, photographer, commercial artist, musician and recording engineer. Grudzien's music has been well known in the outsider music community since its inclusion in Irwin Chusid's book Songs in the Key of Z: The Curious Universe of Outsider Music. "There's a Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere" is included on the companion CD for the book.

Grudzien grew up listening to classical music and later discovered country. In the fifties, he started listening to such artists as Hank Williams, Lefty Frizzell, and Johnny Horton. Peter had a recording contract at the age of sixteen with the Pell Brothers whom he refers to as "Brooklyn hillbillies". They wrote the music; he wrote the lyrics.

He was tremendously influenced by Dylan, whom he met briefly. Grudzien was part of the group of luminaries such as John Herald, Peter Stampfel, Phil White, and others who played around Greenwich Village. Although he had his picture taken with Cash they did not otherwise meet and certainly never played together.

Grudzien's LP, The Unicorn, was released in 1974.